Welcome, Home Depot

Letter to the editor

Posted: Tuesday, January 04, 2005

I find it amusing some local businesses who compete with Home Depot are again attempting to sideline their arrival. I may be selfish in asking, but I want an inventory in stock, in one location, knowledgeable customer service and, lastly, competitive prices. Juneau's building trade merchants generally exist to support the contractor community. It really gets old to be told, "No we don't stock that item but we can order it for you."

I try to support small business when I can. I have seen some improvement in customer service attitudes over the last year. I could have purchased my new kitchen cabinets, valued at $7,000, from a Home Depot in the Seattle area and would have saved about a thousand dollars. Because they were both build-to-order out of Ohio, I decided to purchase them locally. I was also quite amazed to find out you can't find a pine bi-fold door in this town. "No, guys, I don't want birch." Even with the special protective crating fees and delivery charge to the freight forwarder and freight fee, The Home Depots in the Puget Sound area have it down to a science for their Alaska customers. Customer service I expect.

I look forward to Home Depot's arrival and their "How To Clinics." You can't touch a carpenter, plumber or electrician in Juneau for less than $70 an hour.